Tape-controlling means



July 7, 1942. B. KAHN TAPE CONTROLLING MEANS Filed Aug. 2, 1939 T-T-T- INVENTOR Benjamin Kahn W, a MA ATTOR EY-S.

Patented July 7, 1942 Lux Corporation, tion of Delaware New York,.N. Y., a" corpora- Application August 2, 1939, Serial No. 287,871

4 Claims.

My invention relates to anarrangement or means for controllingachar-acter-bearing tape for movement through a projection field.

My invention relates to an arrangement whereina tape of the character described is moved through a projection field inresponse toopera tion of a motor, thiS mOtOIkbBm'gl controlled by mechanism utilizable for preventing transmission into the projection field of tape vibrationssuch,

for example, as those produced by themechanism which prints the, tape characters.

Further objects, advantages and characteristics of my invention will" becomeapparentfrom the following detaileddescription.

Myinvention resides in the tape-controlling means, arrangements and features of the; character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my inventionand for an illustration of one of the forms-thereof, reference is to be had. to the accompanying drawing,

in which Figure 1 is a front .elevational viewshowing the tape-controlling means of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing features of the invention; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged-- vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating a part'of the suctionhousing of Fig, 2. r

Referring to the drawing; P represents a-suitable printing device such, for example, as the well known Western Union ticker mechanism utilizable for printing characters. representative of stock quotations lengthwise on a narrow tape T,such tape being opaque if desiredalthough,

in the form of the invention herein illustrated, said tape T is formed from transparent or translucent material such as is suitable for through projection. As illustrated, although not necessarily, the ticker mechanism P isof a conven-' tional constant speed type and, therefore, it comprises a roll I- of the tape T, a pair of' spaced rollers, not shown; being utilized to. feed and eject said tape T from'theticker mechanism in a direction fromleft to right, Figs. 1 and 2, these rollers moving the tape along a path which is disposed closely adjacent. the type wheel 2 with which the usual platen or hammer 3'coacts to eifectthe printing operation, the tape T finally engaging and passing over a. guide surface 4 and then passing beyond the housing 5 of the ticker mechanism, this housing 5', if. desired, being mounted upon any suitable support 6.

After the tape T leaves the ticker mechanism P, it is drawn through a suitable projection device A whereby imagesof the tape charactersare projected onto any suitable screen, not shown. The projection device A may be of any suitable type such as is well known. in the art. As herein shown, this projection device A, comprises a rear lamp housing 1. and a front lens-housing 8, the

projectionlight beam beingproduced by a. source of light la and said projecting light beam, in suitable manner,.being.caused.to pass upwardly througha condensinglens. 9, Fig. 2, which. is disposed. at the top, of! the lens housing 8; said projecting light. beam then passing, upwardly through. the projection field which may be an open rectangular aperture formed; as well understoodin the art, at the; top. of the lens housing 8. After the projecting light beam leaves that sectionof the tape which isatthe aforesaid pro.- jection field, it travelsvertically through theobjective lens 10 and then, usually, is reflected by one or moremirrors before coming into' engagement with.the projection screen, not shown. It will be understood. that the means? defining the projection field may. be omitted; if desired. If so, the projection field may be considered in its optic-a1 sense as in the. plane which. is at. right angles to the longitudinal axis of the objective lens I I, thisplane being in focus with said'objective lens.

The tape T.may be pulled or drawn through the projection field in any suitable manner. Thus,. for example, said tape T may be passed beneath. a roll II, or equivalent, the, latter being, positioned. at or below the. horizontal level of, the projection field. Thereafter, the tape T passes over a.pulling, r0111 l2 with the upper surface of which said tape is held in engagement by an. idler roll. 13 mountedon a lever Hi, the latter being biased in a clockwisedirection, Fig. 1, by a suitable spring I5. After the tape passes beyondthe pulling roll l2, it preferably engages a guiding surfacesuch as anidler roll I6, or equiv alent, and then passesupwardly to asuitable reel ll The aforesaid pulling roll I2 may be operated in any suitable manner. To. this end, if desired, the operating shaft. for said pulling roll l2 may carry asuitable sprocket wheel [8 withwhich an. endless sprocket chain 19 engages, this. chain being operated by a sprocket wheelj 20 which, through suitable gear mechanism, not shown, is rotated at suitable speed by an' electrical motor 2|.

As herein shown, although not necessarily, the above described rolls ll, l2, l3, 16, the reel I! together with the parts associated therewithare carried by a supporting bracket 22 which may be supported in the position shown by any suitable arrangement.

The reel I 'l is utilizable in the customary manner for supporting the tape in roll form after said tape has been passed through the projection field. The reel may be operated in any suitable manner and, to this end, an endless spring belt, not shown, may be engaged with pulleys carried, respectively, by the shaft of the reel I! and the common shaft for the roller I2 and sprocket wheel l8. Accordingly, as well understood in the art, the motor 2| furnishes power for operating the pulling roll l2 and the reel II.

In the form of the invention herein shown, the tape loop formed between the printing mechanism P and the projection device A is utilized for controlling operation of the aforesaid motor 2|. To this end, in the example shown, there may be provided a bracket 23 suitably secured, for example, to the lens housing 8, this bracket 23, in freely os-cillatable fashion, pivotally supporting alever 24 which carries a roller 25 at its free end, said lever 24, in the example shown,

comprising an extension 24a to which one end of a spring 24b is secured, the other end of said spring 241) being suitably secured to the upper end of the bracket 23. r r

v In accordance with the invention, the roller 25 is adapted tocoact with a roller 26 fixed to the upper end of a switch contact member 21 coactable with and normally spaced from a second switchcontact member 28, these contact members being supported, in suitable insulated relation, on a section 23a-of the aforesaidbracket 23, for example- Connected to contact members Hand 28 are. the respective conductors 29 and 30, the conductor 29..leading to one terminal of a suitablesource of electrical energy and the conductor-3ll leading. to one terminal of the aforesaid motor 2|, the other terminal of which has connected thereto a. conductor 32 leading to the other terminalof said source of electrical energy, the conductor 32 preferably including a variable resistance-unit 33. Any other suitable circuit may be-employed.

As my invention is shown in Fig. 1, it may be assumed that the operating means of the ticker mechanism P is non-operative and that, at this time, the motor 2| is not energized. When operation of the ticker mechanism P is initiated, the tape T is ejected. therefrom in a direction from left to right whereby the length of the tape loop between .said tickermechanism and the entrance to the projectionfield lengthens. As a result, the lever 24,under the influence of the spring 242), moves in a counter-clockwise direction, the roller 25 remaining constantly in engagement with the tape and maintaining the same taut. During continued operation of the ticker mechanism P, the roller 25 engages the roller 26 to thereby move the contact member 21 toward and into engagement with the contact member '28.- When this happens, the circuit through the motor 2| is'closed, said motor becoming operative to actuate the .roll |2 to thereby cause the tape to be drawn through the projection field in a direction from left to right, Fig 1. This tape-drawing operation continues until operation of the ticker mechanism P is discontinued whereupon, during continued operation of the motor 2|, the tape loop between said ticker .mechanism and the projection field is shortened .until, against the action of the spring 24b, the roller 25 isdisengaged from the roller 26 with consequent opening of the motor circuit,

the armature of the motor coasting to a stationary position to thereby still further shorten the tape loop so that, finally, the lever 24 takes a position such as illustrated in Fig. 1, for example.

In view of the foregoing, it will be understood that the lever 24 and roller 25 cooperate. in a highly advantageous manner, with the roller 26 and switch contact members 21, 28 to control the operation of the motor 2|. Further and of importance, the arrangement just referred to has the added function of largely or substantially preventing transmission into the projection field of vibrations set up in the tape by operation of the ticker mechanism P. Thus, the spring 24b constantly biases the lever 24 in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 1, with the result that the roller 25, under pressure, is constantly in engagement with the tape T. Therefore, prior to the time that the roller 25 engages the roller 26, the tape loop between the ticker mechanism P and the projection field is constantly maintained taut.

When the tape loop between the ticker mechanism P and the projection field has become so long that the spring 24b holds the roller 25 in engagement with the roller 26 to close the described switch contacts, the tape T is gripped under pressure by said rollers 25, 25. Therefore, under this condition, said rollers last named prevent transmission into the projection field of any vibrations set up in the tape by the ticker mechanism and this still holds even though the ticker mechanism ejects the tape at a faster rate than it is taken up by the motor 2| with resultant formation of a free or slack loop at the left of the engaged rollers 25 and 26, for example, as shown in Fig. 2.

Accordingly, with an arrangement of the character described, it is unnecessary to use the prior art J-spring which, as well known, comprises a spring or weight engaging the tape at the entrance to the projection field to prevent tape impulses from entering said projection field.

Although the described arrangement comprising the spring 24b, lever 24, rollers 25 and 26, and switch contact members 21, 28 have been described as having the two functions discussed above, it shall be understood that the invention is not to be thus limited. Thus, for. example, said described arrangement may be used solely for preventing transmission of undesired tape impulses into the projection field, the motor 2| being controlled by any other suitable mechanism.

Inasmuch as the ticker mechanism P prints the tape characters with ink which does not dry prior to the time that the tape reaches the roller 25, it will be understood that this roller should be provided with spaced, peripheral ribs which engage the tape between the rows of printed characters, the channels formed between pairs of said ribs overlying the rows of inked characters to thereby prevent smudging.

I have hereinbefore pointed out that my invention contemplates the use of a tape-drawing motor which may draw the tape through the projection field at a rate somewhat slower than that at which the tape is ejected by the ticker mechanism. Ordinarily, it is undesirable for such a condition long to exist because, if so, the tape loop between the ticker mechanism and the pro- Jection field may become so extended as to de-' azssmrelay projection of the characters to anundeslred extent.

In. order toovercome this. objection; I mayinbeforedescribed switch: contact member 28 may: have connected thereto a conductor 49 which leads-to one terminal of a suitable source ofelectrical'energy,.the other terminal of which has connected thereto a conductor 41 leading to one terminal of the aforesaid motor 2|. The other terminal of the motor 2I has connected thereto a conductor 42 which includesa resistance unit 43, preferably variable, and leads to the aforesaid switch contact member 2 1. Connected in shunt relation across-the resistance unit 43 is a conductor 44 which includes a resi'stance'unit 45, preferably variable, and a pair of switch contact members 46 and 4-1.

In accordance with the invention, the contact member 46 is carried by a rod 48 which extends through and is slidably mounted in the end wall of a housing 49, said rod 48, interiorly of said housing 49, carrying a head 48a. slidable, in sealed relation, in a passage 49a. of the housing 49, the rod 48 together with its head 480. being biased from left to right by a spring 59, one end of which engages the head 49a and the other end of which engages an interior flange 49b of the housing 49.

The housing 49 has communicating therewith a conduit 5| which leads to a suction pump, not shown, serving to withdraw air from said housing 49. Formed on the top wall of the housing 49 is a pocket or depression defined by upstanding extensions 490 of said housing 49, the bottom of this pocket communicating with the interior of the housing by way of a passage 49c.

The conduit 5| and passage 49c are on one side of the plunger 48. On the other side thereof, the housing 49 should comprise an air inlet and an air vent. To this end, as shown in Fig. 3, the housing end wall may be provided with a flanged opening 49 against which a pivoted plate 52 is adapted to be disposed in sealed relation, the plate 52 having a small orifice 52a communicating with the interior of said housing 49.

The operation of the form of my invention as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 is as follows:

Normally, when the tape is taut between the projection field and the ticker mechanism P or, if slack, when the slack loop has insufiicient length to extend downwardly into the pocket formed by the housing extensions 49c, closure of the switch contact members 21 and 2.8 closes the circuit of the motor 2| through the resistance unit 43. The contact members 46, 41 are open at this time and the resistance unit 45 is opencircuited by reason of the fact that the suction pump is drawing air from the atmosphere through the passage 49c whereby the rod 48 and head 48a are in the position shown in Fig. 2.

In the event that the slack tape loop becomes sufficiently long as shown at TI, Fig. 2, to reach downwardly into the aforesaid pocket as shown in Fig. 2, the passage 49c is closed by the tape and the vacuum pump creates a vacuum condition in that area of the housing 49 to the left of the head 48a. When this happens, the rod 48 and its head 48a move from right to left against the action of the spring 59, this movement' being facilitated by reason- 01: the fact that air' passes into that'area of the housing at the right of the head-48a by way er the opening 497, the plate 52-opening: in. response to: the suc- 7 tion effect to permit such flow of: air.

The described movement of the rod 48" closes the contact member 46 onto the contact member 41 and thereby places the resistance.- unit 45 in parallel relationwith respect to the resistance unit 43, both resist'ance units being now in the motor'circu-it. With a motor of the proper character, this" action serves to increase the speed thereof;

The arrangement is-such that, when the motor 21 speeds up, the slacktape loop is shortened and, when sufficiently shortened, the passage 4922 is: again opened to the atmosphere where upon the rod 48 andhea d 48a move from left to right, Fig. 2, under the'influence. of the spring 58 to thereby open the contact members 45, 4'1 and reduce the speed" of the motor 21". During the movement of the rod" 48 and head 48a, air escapes: to the atmosphere by way of the. vent opening 5211.. I

While the invention has been described with respect to certain particular preferred examples which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device coactable with a character-bearing tape during passage thereof from a printing mechanism to a projection field, said device comprising a member adapted to be engaged by the lower surface of the tape, a movable structure having a tape-engaging member, and means for biasing said tape-engaging member toward and into pressure-applying relations with respect to said first named member whereby opposite surfaces of said tape are held in engagement with the respective members, said biasing means holding said tape-engaging member constantly in engagement with the upper surface of said tape and maintaining it either in a position where it is spaced from said firsttnamed member or in said pressure-applying relation with respect thereto whereby tape vibrations are prevented from entering the projection field.

2. A device coactable with a character-bearing tape during passage thereof from a printing mechanism to a projection field, said device comprising a roller adapted to be engaged by the lower surface of the tape, a lever having a tapeengaging roller, and a spring for biasing said tape-engaging roller toward and into pressureapplying relation with respect to said first named roller whereby opposite surfaces of said tape are held in engagement with the respective members. said spring holding said tape-engaging roller constantly in engagement with the upper surface of said tape and maintaining it either in a position where it is spaced from said first named roller or in said pressure-applying relation with respect thereto whereby tape vibrations are prevented from entering the projection field.

3. Ina system of the character described, the combination with a projection field, means for drawing a character-bearing tape through said projection field, tape-engaging means between said projection field and a printing mechanism for preventing the entrance of tape vibrations into the projection field, said tape-engaging means comprising members adapted to engage the respective opposite sides of the tape,,means whereby said tape-engaging means controls said drawing means, said tape between said tape-engaging means and said drawing means being free from any braking effect acting to retard movement thereof, said tape-engaging means, when the tape is slack in the region between said printing mechanism and said projection field and likewise when the tape is taut in said region, cooperating with said drawing means to hold the tape taut across said projection field and substantially prevent transmission into said projection field of tape vibrations produced by said printing mechanism, and means for increasing the speed of said drawing means in the event that a slack tape loop forms between said tapeengaging means and said printing mechanism.

4. In a system of the character described, the combination with a projection field, means comprising an electrical motor for drawing a character-bearing tape through said projection field,

tape-engaging means between said projection field and a printing mechanism for preventing the entrance of tape vibrations into the projection field, means whereby said tape-engaging means controls said drawing means, said tape between said tape-engaging means and said drawing means being free from any braking effect acting to retard movement thereof, said tapeengaging means, when the tape is slack in the region between said printing mechanism and said projection field and likewise when the tape is taut in said region, cooperating with sai drawing means to hold the tape taut across said projection field and substantially prevent transmission into said projection field of tape vibrations produced by said printing mechanism, and means for increasing the speed of said drawing means in the event that a slack tape loop forms between said tape-engaging means and said printing mechanism, said speed increasing means being controlled by said slack tape loop and serving to alter the operating characteristics of the motor circuit,

BENJAMIN KAHN. 

